Decisions
by Tobi Tortue
Summary: After they defeated Naraku, Kagome had more time for her own era. However, everything -her friends, her school, her living style- has changed. What decisions will she make, and how will they affect her future? INDEFINITE HIATUS/DISCONTINUED
1. Back to Normal Life, Right?

**Decisions **

**Tobi Tortue**

**Chapter 1: Back to Normal Life, Right?**

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When the light faded, there was nothing left of Naraku. Even the caustic remnants of his miasma had been scoured from the face of the earth.

They had finally destroyed Naraku.

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"Souta!" Kagome yelled from her doorway. "Did you take my English textbook?"

The boy appeared at the bottom of the stairs and shouted back, a little annoyed. "No! Why would I anyway?" He watched as his sister's face went through a myriad of expressions before deciding on utter frustration. She pulled her head back into her room, and slammed the door.

"Why would I go in her room in the first place?" Souta asked himself as he returned to the TV. He shook his head, determined to get Kagome's problems far away, and to enjoy the last few days of vacation. "High school can't be _that_ much to worry about, right?" he mused quietly, before turning up the volume on a poorly dubbed American sitcom.

Meanwhile, Kagome frantically searched for the English book, promising herself that her life in this era would return to normal.

It wasn't that she disliked the Sengoku Jidai—she had already promised to visit at least once every week—but she wanted to have the things that had been unavailable to her last year. Things like the experience of being in high school (which almost didn't happen due to her descending grades) and a rich social life.

Kagome decided to check her backpack for the missing book, despite having already looked there. She absently wondered what Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi were up to. She hadn't talked to them in forever. She glanced inside her bag and her eyes, to her simultaneous relief and annoyance, rested upon the English textbook.

She growled under her breath in frustration before realizing she probably sounded exactly like Inuyasha—something she dearly wished to avoid.

The egocentric hanyou had done nothing but brag at how it was _his_ attack that had delivered the final blow and killed Naraku. That is, expect for acting like some punishing god and proclaiming Kagome banned from her own era. She was only in her own home thanks to quite a number of "osuwaris".

She pushed him out of her mind with a forceful mental shove, replacing his smirking countenance with her three friends' smiling faces.

Kagome suddenly realized just how long it had been since she had talked to them, and why they hadn't called her recently. After end-of-the-year entrance exams, Kagome had told her friends that she was going on vacation for the summer. In reality, the young miko had been hunting Naraku with her team of friends in the Warring States Era.

But that was over. Kagome had decided to be a normal girl again (insofar as that was possible) so she decided that the first step was to retain her social life and her place at hr friends' sides. Kagome looked for the wireless phone and, finding it downstairs near Souta, called up Ayumi.

"Hello?" a male voice asked when the ringing stopped.

"This is Kagome," she responded immediately. "Is Ayumi there?"

"Uh...yeah," he said. "Hold on."

Kagome sat on her bed and fidgeted while she waited for whom she assumed to be Ayumi's older brother to get her friend.

A few moments later, a female and familiar voice filled Kagome's ear.

"Kagome?"

"Hey Ayumi, what's—"

"Oh my God, Kagome! It's so good to hear from you! How was, er, wherever you went?" she asked, at once bubbly and way too enthusiastic.

"Mm, alright," she answered neutrally. She didn't want her friends asking too many questions about the trip she hadn't taken, so she would act as if her vacation had been average. Of course, it had been anything but average. Also, it had been anything but a vacation. Changing the topic, Kagome asked, "What about your break? How's it been?"

"Oh, well, um... you know..." Ayumi trailed off. Kagome waited for a more detailed explanation, but was then taken aback as her friend asked her another question. "Have you talked to Yuka and Eri yet?"

"Er... no," Kagome replied, a little confused. "Oh, wait!" she suddenly said, getting an idea, "Let's do four-way calling! That way we can—"

"No." Ayumi forcibly and uncharacteristically cut her off.

The line was silent for a long moment.

However, Ayumi was the one to dispel the silence she had created, but Kagome realized she had meant to stay silent. A few soft sobs leaked through the phone as Ayumi began to cry.

"Ayumi?" Kagome asked carefully, wondering what on earth was troubling her friend. "What's wrong?"

Ayumi released a few more choked sobs, but after a little while, she took a deep breath and the story of her summer came out.


	2. Summer's Over

**Decisions**

**Tobi Tortue**

**Chapter 2: Summer's Over**

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"So much has happened Kagome... I just don't know where to start. Well, maybe I do, it's just that I don't know how to say it.

"Uh, Kagome? Promise that you'll be my friend forever? Well. At least through high school and then we can call each other and talk about difficult stuff when we're stressed or have too much homework... Just promise, please?"

Kagome promised, and waited for the rest of the talk. But suddenly she had the feeling that her miko skills would be of no use to her during this crisis.

"After you left, Kagome, everything fell apart. You remember how after we met Inuyasha, Eri told Hojo that you had a boyfriend so he stopped asking you out? Well, Eri never told us until a little while ago that she had this crush on him. She was so jealous of you, Kagome, but I still think she did you a favor when she told him about Inuyasha. But it's a little sad to know that she had her own motives for doing that.

"Anyway, just when vacation started, Hojo asked me out on a date. I said yes, because, well, he _did_ seem to be a nice guy and I didn't—still don't—have a boyfriend. The first date was fun. We went to WacDnalds and ate and talked for a long time. But the second date...

"Hojo asked me if I wanted to go with him to a party his friend was throwing. I thought that it would be fun, because I was thinking that Hojo was pretty cool, especially if he thought that we could still have a good time even if we were with a whole bunch of other people. At first the party was fun, I mean, there _were_ a lot of people there and I sort of knew some of them. But then someone brought in a case of beer. I said something to Hojo, but he said it was okay and that I didn't have to drink if I didn't want to. He said a lot of people just came to hang out and didn't drink.

"But Hojo turned out to be one of the people that drank. And it seemed like so did everyone else. I thought that I was the only person who wasn't. I lost Hojo in the crowd, and I felt so alone, but then he came back and I could tell he was really drunk. He told me, in a slurred voice, to have some punch—I knew there was alcohol in it though—and then when I refused, he shrugged and pulled me into this corner. Then he tried to make out with me.

"I slapped him as hard as I could, and ran out of the room. I think I was crying. I haven't talked to Hojo since then, and I don't want to.

"Of course I told Eri and Yuka about it, but they took it differently than what I expected. I tried to tell them that alcohol and parties were bad things, but Eri...and her crush...and you know how close Eri and Yuka have always been...

"Eri immediately sought out Hojo. Well, first she asked me if I was still interested in him. As if I would be! But by the next weekend, Eri was at a party with Hojo. And, unlike me, Eri was not afraid of the liquor. When we talked to her, me and Yuka, she tried to explain exactly how her make-out session with Hojo went! And I didn't want to hear that! But Yuka seemed to think that the whole party thing wasn't that bad, and then Eri started suggesting that we all get boyfriends—it didn't matter who—and take them to parties because her experience was really fun.

"Since then, Eri and Yuka have gone to just about every party that someone on this side of Tokyo has put on. Yuka told me that they snuck into an over-21 club and that she's had a new 'man' for each party. But I'm not really sure. I don't know what to believe and I don't actually talk to them anymore...

"It's been...three and a half weeks since I talked to Yuka. About four and a half since I last talked to Eri. I haven't seen either of them since they really got into the partying."

Kagome could tell that Ayumi was trying to sound proud of that accomplishment, and trying to hide what was sure to be a large helping of pain and betrayal. Ayumi was not succeeding.

"I'm sorry, Ayumi," Kagome said sincerely, almost unable to speak with all of the new information swirling through her head.

Ayumi once again burst into tears. "It's been so hard, Kagome! I'm so glad you're back, because now at least I'm not so alone. They don't care about me anymore, and I know they say things about me to other people—things that aren't very nice and that they promised not to tell anyone ever. It's like all those years we've been friends don't matter to them anymore. As if it never happened except now they use it against me.

"But it's not like I can do anything about that. I mean, I guess that if I at least still have you as my friend, I can make it through high school.

"I'm sorry I have such bad news for you, especially since you just got back from vacation. But you really need to know what happened. You agree with me thought, right? That drinking and partying is bad? It just wastes your life away and puts you into dangerous situations.

"I just...never thought Eri and Yuka would do that to me...us..."

There was a heavy pause.

"Uh, Kagome? I'll talk to you later... We're having dinner now. Bye.

"Thanks for coming back, and listening."

Woodenly, Kagome hung up the phone. For several long moments, she sat on her pink bedspread, staring straight in front of her.

Kagome had felt that she could take on anything. Any youkai, any bandit, and netherwordly creature, even a god, and she could come out victorious. Any thing, that is, except for this.

What would she do?

Please read and review! Thanks! -Tobi Tortue 


	3. Pressure

Decisions 

**Tobi Tortue**

**Chapter 3: Pressure**

"Oh come on, Souta! We don't have time for that!" Kagome yelled as she jobbed to the steps at the shine's entrance. Souta, standing by the well hut, held a bowl of milk and looked worried.

"But Buyo went inside!" he insisted.

Kagome exhaled in exasperation. What was it with little brothers? It seemed like the more time she spent at home, in his company, the more she couldn't stand him. "So?" she asked, looking back at the boy. "What's the worst that could happen?" She recalled the last time Souta was worried about Buyo in the well. She had gone to the feudal era for the first time...

But as much as she'd like to visit, Kagome couldn't afford to miss school today. "Just forget it, Souta, or I'll go to school by myself!" Kagome didn't wait for an answer as she turned and took the steps two at a time, thinking of the day ahead.

High school. From everything she'd heard, it was going to be the best years of her life, the ones she'd fondly remember until she was old. Her golden days. Of course, it was going to be a lot of work. And first, she had to help Ayumi and get her other friends back on the right path. _Then_ they could all share the memories they'd treasure forever.

It may be a lot of work indeed.

Kagome waved good-bye to Souta (he hadn't wanted to be left behind) as she turned to approach the high school while he trotted off to the elementary school.

Kagome stared up, a little in awe and a little in relief. Her grades had not been very good last year, so she was relieved to finally get there. Shifting her backpack a little, she started to walk forward when she heard a familiar voice from behind.

"Kagome!"

It was, of course, Hojo. He had gotten taller and more muscular over break, and for some reason he seemed to carry an air of maturity around him. He really did seem older.

Kagome tried not to think of everything Ayumi had told her, instead pretending everything was normal.

"Oh, hi Hojo," she said cheerily.

"It's good to see you again," he commented as they began walking into the school. "How was your break?"

"Okay," she answered, unable to give any more details. "What about yours?"

"Oh, I had fun." They paused, just inside the building, and looked at their new surroundings. Actually, it was very similar to the junior high school they had attended the previous years. That was both a little disappointing and very comforting. "What classes are you taking, Kagome?" Hojo asked.

Kagome pulled a folded slip of paper from her pocket in her skirt, which was now a deep reddish-maroon to match her high school's colors. The uniform was the same as her old one except for the change in color and that the skirt (although it would seem physically impossible) was shorter. She smoothed its pleats as she looked at the paper.

"I have Physics, English, Algebra II, World History, Japanese, and I, uh, joined the Archery Club." Kagome once again berated herself for telling her mother about her improving skills with a bow.

"The Archery Club, eh?" Hojo asked, grinning and raising an eyebrow. "Planning on shooting an arrow through your boyfriend's heart?" Hojo chuckled.

Kagome stiffened at the mental image, but quickly forced herself to relax and laugh along nervously.

"I'll talk to you later, Kagome," the boy said as he caught sight of a few other guys and joined their group.

Looking back down at her schedule, Kagome found her way to her classroom. Physics was her first class of the day.

When she entered the room, she was immediately grabbed and dragged to a chair.

"Kagome!"

"Kagome!"

Eri and Yuka sat her down in a chair and beamed happily at her. As usual, there were smiles on their faces, and to Kagome, it didn't seem as if anything had changed. There were no signs of any problems. Was there really one in the first place?

"You're back!" Eri cried, smothering Kagome in a hug. "It's so good to see you!"

"No kidding," Yuka agreed, also giving Kagome a squeeze.

Eri pulled a chair from a nearby desk, turning it and sitting in it backwards. She leaned on the back and spoke in a confidential tone. "It feels so weird to be in high school, doesn't it? And it's weird not to be on top either, you know? I feel like a sixth grader again, and I _know_ I was a dumb sixth grader."

The girls all giggled and everything seemed completely fine. It could have been last year, except that Ayumi wasn't there. But it still seemed only as if Ayumi had not been placed in the same class as Kagome or the others.

They found seats next to each other when the teacher, a boring-looking man probably in his forties, walked in. They soon discovered that he spoke in a monotone and every student's attention was lost within the first ten minutes of class.

"Hey, Kagome," Eri whispered, leaning toward her friend. "Do you want to hang out after school today?"

Kagome paused for a moment before answering. Ayumi had said...but Eri and Yuka seemed fine... "Yeah, that'd be fun. Where?"

"We could go to WacDnald's. Wow, we really haven't talked in ages, have we. How was your trip?" she asked.

"Good," Kagome responded. "How about your summer?"

"It was good too," came the reply. Eri still sounded so normal! Perhaps Kagome had imagined the conversation with Ayumi?

"So what do you think the best part of your summer was?" Eri continued in a low whisper.

"Well, um, let me see..." she hesitated. She knew she had to think up something quickly, so she blurted, "Staying out of the hospital, for sure." Eri started to laugh quietly, as did Yuka, who had hear the last few sentences of the conversation.

"Excuse me, Miss Higurashi," the teacher's voice droned, "but would you please repeat to me what I just explained to the class?"

Kagome suddenly looked down at her flat, gray desk. "Sorry. I don't know..."

"That's because you were not paying attention. I was going over the chapters we will be studying this year, specifically pressure. I sincerely hope you will be competent enough to understand and do well at dealing with this concept. However, if that is not the case, your grade will reflect that. It also reflects your effort in this class.

"I advise all of you to take that to heart."

Kagome slumped in her seat and sighed. Within the first twenty minutes of all of high school, she had made a reputation as the girl who talked during class. The one the teachers had to always tell to be quiet.

"Wow, is he ever a jerk," Yuka commented as she mimed taking notes.

"No kidding," Eri replied.

"Yeah..." Kagome agreed, thankful for her friends' support.

The trio made it through the rest of the day with no significant problems. Of course they had to deal with snobby and aloof upperclassmen, and the trials of finding their way to the bathroom and the cafeteria, but in general things went smoothly. When Kagome asked about Ayumi during lunch, Eri explained in reluctant tones that she'd tell later, after school. Both Eri and Yuka seemed sad and uncomfortable about the subject, which confused Kagome.

Ayumi had told her that Eri and Yuka didn't care about her anymore. But then why would they be upset?

As the end of the school day approached, Kagome wondered about the current situation. This wasn't her area of expertise. Kagome was good at finding jewel shards, at shooting down demons, at purifying evil.

But she wasn't fighting Naraku...she wasn't fighting anyone.

And there was no evil...only her best friends.

Was there even a wrong or a right?

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So? Tell me what you think! I love to hear from all of you! And I'm sure Ayumi appreciates your sympathy.

'Til next time!

Tobi Tortue


	4. Eri's Summer

**Decisions**

**Tobi Tortue**

**Chapter 4: Eri's Summer**

They ordered several WacBurgers, fries, and cokes, prepared to stay for a while.

"So, Kagome," Eri started as soon as they had finished their first few bites in silence, "you were wondering what happened to Ayumi. Sorry, but you chose the wrong summer to go on vacation. Not like you could help it though.

"It started when Ayumi began dating Hojo. Yeah, I know, Ayumi and Hojo? But it wasn't much later when she dumped him. And now she absolutely hates him.

"But that's because Hojo took her to a party. Like, a _party_ party. And we all know—or at least _thought_ we knew—Ayumi, and how she would be scared about something like that. Hojo wanted to apologize, but she wouldn't let him.

"So, since Ayumi wasn't dating him anymore, when he asked me out, I said yes. It's weird you know, how Yuka is the only one of us that hasn't gone on a date with him.

"Anyway, when I started dating Hojo, Ayumi got all upset, and she kept telling me not to. But I was like, 'if you want him back, you can have him,' cause I thought that maybe she wasn't over him yet, and I'm a good friend. But she was all like, 'no way' and said that Hojo was just bad stuff.

"And you know me, I was curious as to what the party had actually been like, because who knows what Ayumi made up or exaggerated. I wanted to see for myself, you know? So I asked Hojo, and, he, well, he was really honest with me. I don't know exactly what happened with Ayumi, but Hojo is not a terrible guy like she says he is.

"I went to the party, and...guess what: it was _exactly_ like Hojo said it would be. So, maybe Ayumi just got scared or something, but I wasn't. I think I've always been a little tougher than her, but what really bugs me is how after that it was like Ayumi went crazy.

"She never stopped talking about it! She was always trying to tell me what to do. Like, 'you can't see Hojo, you can't go have fun, I won't talk to you if you do.' And she never said anything else! And she'd interrogate me—and Yuka too. We'd call her up just to chat and she'd be all like, 'did you go to a party? Did you drink? Are you gonna keep that up and ruin your life?'

"I just got tired of it. I told her, 'Ayumi, can't we talk about something else?' But she kept it up. And I was, like, telling her to maybe be a bit more open-minded. I even invited her to several parties that I knew would be really low-key, as sort of an introduction, you know? I didn't want her to miss out.

"But Ayumi refused to have anything to do with me. Or Yuka. And that was that."

There was a very long and heavy pause. The silence was only broken as Yuka's straw sucked in air and the dull clinking of her ice cubes. Eri sighed.

"So, Kagome... are you going to be like Ayumi too? Because if you are, just tell me now. I don't want to try to force you to be my friend. I've had enough of that."

Eri was looking at the table. She slowly lifted her head up, first looking at Kagome, then Yuka. She shrugged and looked back down at her empty WacBurger wrapper.

"Same here," Yuka said, half shrugging and playing with her straw. "I mean, it was hard enough losing Ayumi, but if we have to lose you took, then I think we should get it over with so we can move on."

"Yeah," Eri agreed. They both looked to Kagome.

"I don't want to stop being your friend!" Kagome blurted, feeling a little desperate. Eri and Yuka had been her friends ever since they had all started school together. Yet Kagome also knew she had to be honest. "But... I don't want to stop being Ayumi's friend either."

"Neither did we!" Eri cut in. "But if you manage to stay her friend while being ours... well, good luck."

"And also... I've never been to a party and—"

"That's okay, Kagome," Eri replied seriously. "We could take you to a low-key one with just a few people and just hang out, and," Eri paused to inhale dramatically, "we wouldn't even make you go to one if you didn't want to.

"You only have to understand that this is the lifestyle that Yuka and I have chosen, and that you should accept that. Don't try to change your friends just so you can have a perfect little world. We're in high school already, so it's time to grow up accept the facts of life. Sometimes it's not easy—we know from Ayumi—but sometimes...

"Life can get really fun, if you know where to go. And of course, who to go with."


	5. Proposal of A Perfect Plan

**Decisions**

**Tobi Tortue**

**Chapter 5: Proposal of A Perfect Plan**

Kagome sat on her bed, cross-legged, squeezing her fluffiest pillow. After saying good-bye to her friends and walking home, the teenager had tried to concentrate enough to go over her class syllables. But it hadn't worked so she had just given up.

Her mind kept wandering back to her three friends, and the gulf that had come to separate them.

When talking to Ayumi, Kagome had gotten the sense that Eri and Yuka had ruthlessly broken the ties of friendship and cast Ayumi aside like some paper doll in a hurricane. But the story from Eri was that Ayumi could no longer find it in her heart to accept her friends as they grew into adults.

When had everything become so complicated?

She sighed unhappily and flopped over backwards. Couldn't things just go back to normal? She turned on her side and sighed again, longer and deeper. This hadn't been what she'd wanted when she told herself she'd be a normal girl again. Why had she wished for things to change?

Kagome, ironically, desperately wished to return to the past.

But for the first time, she could not return to a time she dearly loved. For once, she wished that the well did not go back to Inuyasha's time. Instead, why couldn't she travel back just to junior high?

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Ayumi called after dinner, asking for Kagome. Her tone was serious, and she hid her loneliness well, underneath her powerful sense of righteousness.

"Kagome. I saw you eating lunch with Eri and Yuka. I just wanted to know if you had decided to break your promise to me. If you did, then...okay. If you are going to keep your promise, then how can you still be friends with them? Did they tell you what they _do_ all the time?"

"Of course I'm still your friend!" Kagome protested. She hesitated, trying to think of a way to explain her feelings to Ayumi. "It's just...it doesn't seem like they've really changed. I did talk to them after school, and now I don't know what to think. Of course I know that these parties and alcohol and things are bad, but I think we should try to help them stop, rather than just abandon them."

"I've tried that, Kagome... I really did," she replied, her voice breaking and softening. "But they don't see reason anymore."

"Well, I'm still going to try," Kagome stated resolutely. She couldn't let Eri and Yuka ruin their lives. At least, she couldn't let them do that without trying to stop them.

"Good luck. And I really mean it. Thanks for sticking with me," Ayumi sounded so sincere at the last part that Kagome could almost feel the betrayal that Ayumi must have been through.

"Of course, Ayumi," Kagome answered warmly. "You're my friend, and I can't abandon any of my friends."

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At school the next day, Kagome announced to Eri and Yuka that she was still friends with Ayumi. The two were shocked. Kagome also announced that she was inclined to help them stop drinking and partying. That's when her two friends just stared. But the stare coming from Eri was a little different, and Kagome could tell that she had hit a nerve.

"What? So now you've gone to Ayumi's side. You know, Kagome, if you are going to talk about nothing other than our so-called 'problem'"—she did finger quotes for that—"then we're not going to put up with that. You can say good-bye to this friendship," Eri told her angrily. The girl was obviously fuming.

"I didn't say that!" Kagome pleaded. "I'm just trying to help!"

"Yeah, we haven't heard _that_ before," Eri said sarcastically, looking over at Yuka, who smiled and rolled her eyes in agreement.

"No! You guys..." Kagome began. But Eri cut her off.

"You don't even know what it's like! How can you make up your mind about something you haven't even experienced for yoursel? You're just judging us without even knowing the truth," she accused. "It's in situations like that that I get really annoyed. And frustrated. Kagome, if you really want to make up your mind about out-of-school activities, you need first hand experience. And if you don't think you need that to tell other people what to do, then you need an attitude adjustment. All you need to do is just be a little more open-minded.

"And you know what? Yuka and I have already thrown out an invitation for you. So if you want to really know what happens—experience it firsthand—then you would come to Dame's house Friday after school with us." When she finished, she stared straight into Kagome's eyes.

"Umm...who's Dame?" was all Kagome could think to say.

"Will you go?" Yuka asked hurriedly, leaning forward.

"I don't know..." She trailed off and looked down.

"If you want to know what it's really like, then you will," Eri challenged.

"And it's not like we'd force you to drink," Yuka jumped in, and added, "We're not peer-pressuring you or anything. We wouldn't do that to you."

"So you should really come," Eri suggested, though it really sounded like more of a command.

"Er...okay." Kagome answered, stumbling over her words.

"That's good! It's settled. We'll get a ride from Komari or something." Eri's voice closed the matter, leaving Kagome no chance to back out.

"You think he's going?" Yuka asked.

Eri shrugged. "Ask him."

The rest of the day passed awkwardly for Kagome. Had she really just agreed to go to a part with alcohol at it? One where she was really sure that her two friends would be drinking? More than that, Kagome began to wonder what Ayumi would say when she found out.

Or maybe Kagome could turn that into _if_ Ayumi found out...

No, Kagome couldn't lie to Ayumi. But if Ayumi just didn't ask? Maybe Kagome would tell her friend afterwards. That would probably be best.

But it wasn't as if Kagome didn't have good reasons for going. She did. In fact, she had several. If she could experience a party, it would be like Eri said: Kagome could make up her own mind about what parts she agreed or disagreed with. Also, this would giver her some sort of insight into parties and therefore be able to defeat them. And then she wouldn't be an outsider telling Eri what to do. She'd be a good friend giving advice.

Kagome could pull this off like an intelligent adult. She wouldn't yell at Eri or Yuka, or even bring it up all the time. Kagome could show them what was right by example. And when Kagome's life was improving, and theirs were falling apart, she wouldn't blame them, she'd just guide them out of their personal darkness. And then they'd all be friends again.

It was a perfect plan. Kagome knew there was no way it could possibly fail.

The only problem would be convincing her mom to let her go.

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Okay fans, what did you think? I know, I'm actually leaving a note this time. Please continue to read and give me such wonderful reviews! I love all of you...

Anyway, sorry about the randomness of my posting, but it's getting toward the end of the year and I'm doing studying for finals and things. Today, however, I actually have **a question I am hoping you all might answer**: In my writing, do you prefer that I have contractions (ie. "don't" vs. "do not"), and does it bug anyone that I sometimes end my sentences with a preposition (a big grammar no-no)? I know that I do both of these, but I think that they may add to the feeling of getting the character's perspective without having to do any first-person nonsense. But if any of you read this and are like, "man, she keeps ending all of her sentences in prepositions and she sooo shouldn't do that..." then I'll stop and perfect my writing. You could even say that ending a sentence with a preposition is something up with which you will not put...heh heh. And if you guys don't really care, then that's cool too. (Maybe I'm the only dumb grammar idiot out there...?)

Anyway, so long and thanks for all the fish, er, I mean, reviews.

Tobi Tortue – j'irais à la France cet été ! Oui !


	6. A Daughter's Promise: Broken

**Decisions**

**Tobi Tortue**

**Chapter 6: A Daughter's Promise: Broken**

"Kagome, tell me again what you plan on doing," Mrs. Higurashi asked her daughter on Friday morning,

"Well, I need to go to a party after school today. But it's not like I'll do anything—I just need to go so I can help Eri and Yuka." Kagome's fingers were crossed underneath the kitchen table. What if her mom said no? Kagome had asked before she'd really thought about it.

"But if you're there to help, why aren't you doing anything? Are you there to set up? And whose party is this?" Apparently, Mrs. Higurashi didn't understand what kind of party Kagome was speaking of.

Kagome hesitated, then charged forward. She _had_ to tell her mother. She told her mother everything.

"There will be alcohol at this party. But I won't drink! I promise! I just need to go to get them to stop."

"I'm not sure I understand...but I trust you, Kagome." Her mother smiled warmly. "You are a very special girl," she added, her voice filled with endless pride. "That jewel you wear around your neck is proof of that, as is your dedication to your friends.

"Do your best, honey."

Kist as her mother's words echoed in her mind, Kagome's footsteps echoed with resolve on her way to school ten minutes later. The girl felt as if she was brimming with confidence, a determination to bring her friends back.

The hours of school floated by, barely pausing for note taking or bathroom breaks. And when the final bell rang, she even gathered her books and put her pack over her shoulder with the utmost resolve.

Today was the day. Kagome had saved people from worse—death, and even un-death—so this should be a piece of cake.

Eri and Yuka quite suddenly appeared on either side of her, and began chattering away as they guided their friend out the door.

"Oh my gosh, this is going to be so much fun, Kagome," Yuka gushed.

"Yeah, and we're going to my house to get ready and then Hojo's friend Yokunai is gonna pick us up," Eri explained as they reached the road and started walking down the sidewalk. "Don't worry, Kagome, I'll loan you something." Kagome gave her a questioning look. "I mean, you don't want to go in your school uniform, do you?" Eri asked, laughing. Yuka joined in and soon they were all giggling, although Kagome felt as if she had still missed the joke.

They caught a train and rode among other murmuring people until they reached a stop only two blocks from Eri's apartment building.

Upon entering, Eri and Yuka sprang into loud and hurried action.

"I'll get ready and then I wanna do Kagome's make-up! I have this great idea!" Eri yelled as she ran into her room.

Yuka, following, spoke loudly so her voice would carry into the room. "Oh, can I do her hair?"

"Maybe," came the muffled reply.

Kagome entered Eri's room, which had changed a lot since she had last been there. It seemed somehow darker, although the sparkly purple fluff of her lampshade was almost too bright to look at. The rest of the room matched the theme set by the lamp, and her radio was already playing some song by Ayumi Hamasaki.

By the time she stopped staring, Eri had materialized at her side, and she wasn't wearing her uniform.

Eri wore an unbuttoned white polo shirt, its collar flipped up. The V went down so low that Kagome, who was standing too close to her friend, could clearly see not only what color her friend's bra was, but how well it fit. The top was accessorized with a short dark green plaid tie, loosely hanging down the front, and she wore a matching pleated mini-skirt.

"Isn't this cute?" she asked, grinning like a sexy schoolteacher.

Kagome thought that "isn't this slutty" would fit better, but she nodded and made a sound of agreement anyway.

"I've got a great outfit you can borrow," she said, whirling around to face the closet. Kagome followed, curious, but not wanting to appear so. Eri's closet opened, and she pulled out some clothing she must have set aside earlier. "Try these," she ordered, smiling devilishly. Then she darted out of the room, calling for Yuka and some sort of make-up.

Kagome took a closer look at the outfit Eri had chosen for her...and nearly fell over. She couldn't wear that! It was...not even enough material to begin with! But...

If Kagome was going to the party, she'd better make it at least look like she was trying to see things from Eri and Yuka's views. So she just had to suck it up and see what it was like in their shoes. Or, just what it was like in Eri's clothing.

"Kagome!" she heard after a moment. "Hurry up so we can do your hair and make-up!"

"Yeah, Yokunai should be here soon!"

So Kagome took a deep breath and walked to the bathroom, doubting she had ever felt so out-of-place in any other mix of clothing. She had been wearing more that time when she had worn nothing but Inuyasha's red jacket.

"Wow, Kagome," Eri said as her friend cautiously entered the room. "I knew it was perfect for you."

"Good job," Yuka agreed.

Immediately the two went to work on hair and make-up, finishing up as the doorbell rang, the door opened, and a voice called them from the front room.

**dbqpdbqp**

She felt like every male pair of eyeballs was on her. And not just on her, but roving over her exposed legs up to her jet black, tight mini-skirt and onto her exposed midriff. A tall, smirking boy asked to take her coat, which was also black, but too small to zip up. Kagome stuttered and refused, feeling that the fairly transparent pink tanktop she wore was not enough to give her the sense that she was dressed at all.

That is, if she didn't count the amount of pink eye shadow, black eyeliner, golden glitter, and bubblegum lip-gloss that covered her face as well as any mask. She honestly thought that any expression she made would be totally misread, if read at all.

But despite her discomfort, Kagome knew that there was a part of her that enjoyed the attention. If only Inuyasha would look at her like...well, maybe not, he wasn't like that.

"Just go in a talk to people," Eri was suggesting, "you'll see that we're not bad people, I bet you'll even have fun."

So Kagome wandered into the house. Actually, no one looked drunk, and Kagome didn't even see any alcohol anywhere. And everyone was having a good time.

Ayumi had been worried about this?

Glancing around the room, she caught eyes with someone she knew. Hojo smiled, and after Kagome smiled back, he made his way past little groups of friends until he stood in front of her.

"I wasn't sure if you'd be here, but I'm glad you came." Hojo's voice was full of his usual charm. "Is Eri here too?" he asked.

"Yeah, we came together," Kagome replied, watching Hojo's face closely. He didn't immediately look around for his girlfriend or ask where in the house she might be, instead choosing to stare into Kagome's eyes.

"Is your boyfriend here too?"

"Um, no," she answered, caught off guard. Inuyasha? Here? The idea seemed absolutely absurd. She tried to imagine how he would fit in, with his red outfit and bare feet.

"Ah, I see," Hojo responded, interrupting Kagome's daydream. He smiled, excused himself, and walked off into the growing crowd.

Kagome sat down on the couch, just watching the party slowly start up, when a boy with deep red hair sat down next to her. For a moment he just sat there with his eyes closed. When opened them, and they were a brilliant dark green...and they were looking at Kagome.

He threw an arm around her and drew her close. "You're pretty damn cute, you know," he teased, breathing gently on her cheek. "What's your name?"

"Er, it's Kagome," she answered, more than a little uncomfortable due to the lack of personal space.

"And did you come with anyone, Kagome?" he whispered into her ear. His breath was warm and moist.

"Yes!" she cried out in alarm. "I-I came with my friends Eri and Yuka."

"Oh...I get it," he said as he drew back and smiled. "You're _that_ Kagome." He laughed, and his dark eyes met hers.

Kagome had no idea how to respond to him (in some ways he seemed worse than Miroku), but fortunately she didn't have to, because Eri and Yuka appeared in front of them.

"My... You two look cozy," Eri stated upon arrival. "But we'll have to borrow Kagome for a while."

Before Kagome had time to thank her two rescuers, they pulled her over to the corner and started talking a million miles an hour.

"That was Dame, you know." Yuka raised her eyebrows at Kagome and grinned. "He's so hot."

"Hitting on him already, huh? But hey, with that outfit you can definitely pull it off. Told ya you'd enjoy yourself." Eri smiled knowingly.

Kagome could only blink at her two friends. Did the honestly think she was so...so...so _easy?_

"Hey," Hojo said, walking up from behind Eri and snaking his an arm around her waist. "You want a drink?"

"Hey yourself, and, uh, what do you think?" she flirted, leaning back against him. Hojo held a bottle in his hand that wasn't holding Eri and he took a long drink. "Gimme that," Eri pouted playfully, staring up at him.

"Sorry, all gone," he teased after draining the bottle.

"You meanie." She poked her boyfriend in the ribs. Then she turned and started dragging Hojo away, calling over her shoulder to Yuka, "You stay with Kagome, okay?"

Yuka and Kagome turned to each other, and Yuka started to give Kagome the run-down.

"The drinks—which are, of course, alcoholic—are usually in the kitchen. Dame has a blue cooler that it's usually all in. And I'm looking for Komari... He's blond and, well, really good looking. So if you see him, tell him I'm looking for him. Otherwise just enjoy yourself. This is a party. Just relax and unwind—no stress.

"Personally, I'm going to probably get drunk, and you can have some alcohol too, of course. But you don't have to get totally drunk, just have a beer or two and you'll just get buzzed and that's cool. Any questions and you come find me...or anybody, 'cause we're all nice."

Yuka smiled and walked off toward the kitchen. Kagome stayed in the corner, suddenly feeling alone in the crowd of unfamiliar people.

"Kagome!" a voice cried.

The girl looked around, and suddenly saw the red-haired guy, Dame, striding toward her. She smiled, hoping he wouldn't breath on her neck again.

"Can I get you something to drink?" he asked, leaning his arm against the wall so he could lean toward her.

"Um, maybe if you have something non-alcoholic?" She knew her smile was cheesy.

"Sure, will a coke do?" he asked, grinning devilishly as if it was some kind of suggestive metaphor. She smiled and nodded, relieved that he didn't seem to think she was weird for not wanting alcohol.

A short while later, the two were deep in conversation, both with coke-filled glasses. Kagome had to admit that she was by now fairly impressed with Dame. He was the star of the school's soccer team, and he planned to go to a good university where he would study to become a genetics researcher and, of course, be a party animal on the side. They both laughed, and then he whisked her glass away, returning with refills (because it was warm inside and Kagome was quite thirsty).

Soon the conversation drifted to Kagome, and she explained how she lived on the shrine, and had a little brother that would no doubt idolize Dame for his "mad soccer skills." They laughed again at that, and after draining her coke again, Kagome found the strength to take off her jacket. Dame took it and her glass and returned a short while later.

"So...you got a boyfriend?" he asked, swirling the ice cubes in his glass.

Kagome wondered just exactly what he was thinking, asking a question like that. But also, if he did want to ask her out for a date or to be his girlfriend... Was Kagome really that attractive?

A little voice whispered that she'd probably never be back to a party so it wouldn't matter if she told a lie to a stranger. And besides, as if Inuyasha would ever contradict her. In fact, he'd probably want her to say:

"No, I don't have a boyfriend," she smiled prettily, even going so far as to bat her lashes. "Why do you ask?"

"You don't?" he asked, clearly surprised. His eyebrows raised and he took a step closer. Dame brushed back a lock of Kagome's black hair as he gently whispered, "A girl as sexy as you doesn't have a boyfriend? I doubt you're single for too long."

Kagome blushed incredibly, but the whole situation suddenly seemed just way too funny (because he had no idea about Inuyasha), or it seemed suddenly way too...hot.

She lifted her glass between them, drained it, chewed on an ice cube, and asked, "More coke?"

Dame laughed and snatched the glass, winking as he turned to go. He tripped in the doorway, but managed to avoid falling all the way down. Kagome burst out laughing.

She leaned her back into the corner and waited, giggling to herself at Dame's clumsiness. He returned, and handed her the glass, staying close. Kagome drank, but still felt too warm, despite the ice. Every sip seemed to warm her up instead of cool her down.

"Better?" Dame asked. He smirked at her expression, which was probably rather odd, as she had started panting to try to get rid of excess heat. It worked for dogs, didn't it?

"I'm just so hot!" she said, trying her best to sound sincere.

He leaned closer, so their noses were only a few inches apart, and slowly licked his lips. "Indeed."

"Heh heh," Kagome laughed nervously, but then with a boldness she didn't know she had, she raised her eyebrow and countered, "Indeed?" She tried to lick her lips slower than Dame had without drooling, which was proving to be quite difficult. But she never actually finished.

Because Dame had pushed her up against the corner, his mouth pressed against hers, a hand behind her head and another against a wall. His eyes seemed to shine, so close to hers with the pupils dilated. She could feel his cotton shirt against her bare stomach, and his lips as they traveled to her neck, but Kagome didn't mind at all. Kagome was having one hell of a time.

Until she saw them.

The pair of golden eyes that flashed from the other side of the darkened room, and then disappeared.

**dbqpdbqp**

So, I know it's a cliffy, but I think I'll be able to update again soon. I have so much in my notebook, but not enough on the computer! Aagghh. Anyway, no one has replied to my question from last chapter, so I'll just continue to do what I've been doing all along. And, um, just so you know, all of the names I make up should be read with a Japanese pronunciation, so Dame is "Da-meh" and Yokunai is "Yo-ku-na-ee" and Komari is "Ko-ma-ree". Anyway, if anybody knows Japanese, then you get to know the special meaning behind the names, heh-heh I know they're pretty lame.

But yeah, just so you don't forget, please review, because I always want to improve, and if you don't have any improving tips for me, just feel free to say anything you want. Anything. I'm pretty bummed about getting no responses for the last one, but I'll try to post more often if that's what keeping you guys away.

Until next chapter!

Tobi Tortue


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